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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23838211">The Exchange Student</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lezbe_Honest/pseuds/Lezbe_Honest'>Lezbe_Honest</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Warehouse 13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:48:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,864</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23838211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lezbe_Honest/pseuds/Lezbe_Honest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s Myka Bering’s junior year of High School.  Myka feels alone, sure, she had friends, but they don’t completely understand her. What happens when an exchange student from England, who happens to be staying with Myka, understands her better than anyone else? </p><p>This is my first story, so feedback is much appreciated.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Myka Bering &amp; Helena "H.G." Wells, Myka Bering/Helena "H. G." Wells</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey! I’m excited to post my very first work! I don’t know how often I’ll be able to post, but I’ll try to be consistant.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Myka tosses and turns in her bed for hours. Finally giving up on sleep, she hops out of bed and starts getting dressed. Today is the first day of her junior year, and Myka is conflicted. On one hand today marks one year closer to graduation, she probably wouldn’t feel so excited for graduation if she had more than three friends, but she’s lucky to have three at all. And then on the other hand, today makes one year since Sam, her ex-boyfriend, left. They hadn’t been getting along in the last few weeks of their relationship, but Myka had no idea the reason being, was that Sam was cheating on her. Myka ended the relationship, and Sam moved away with his parents shortly after. Myka still cares about Sam, but she stopped loving him the second she found him with someone else. </p><p>Myka pushes the horrible memories out of her head and gets dressed. Wearing her favorite blue, long sleeved, button down shirt and jeans, Myka heads for the kitchen. It’s not even six in the morning so she tries to be quiet walking past her sisters room, Tracy can be quite grumpy when Myka wakes her up. Myka enters the kitchen and finds the perfect apple on the table and takes a bite, the crunch and the juices send a pleasant chill down her spine. </p><p>When Tracy wakes up looking amazing, as always, Myka rolls her eyes and mutters, “Of course.” under her breath. Louder she says “‘Morning Trace. You were up late last night,” Myka smirks and adds, “.... Kevin?” When Tracy rolls her eyes and blushes, Myka wishes, for a second, she were in love, so she could have that look on her face when she thought about someone. She clears her throat and tells the younger Bering, “We have to leave in 10, so hurry!”</p><p>———————————————————</p><p>Myka is about to open her locker, when she is basically tackled by a human meatloaf. “Hi pete.” Myka says, rubbing her neck. “Mykes!!!! Oh my gosh, okay, so Steve was talking at his locker earlier to Claud and me, and apparently he said something funny because Claudia laughed so hard water came outta her nose!!” Pete starts laughing, and soon Myka chuckles too, because how can she not laugh with her best friend? Myka opens her locker, and sighs, “I missed you Pete. How was wrestling camp?” she asks her friend. “Eh, it was okay, but it woulda been better with girls! ‘Cause, you know, it was just a bunch of sweaty guys... How was working at the bookstore?” Pete asks while grabbing a Twizzler out of Myka’s bag. “Pete, the bookstore was the bookstore,” Myka sighs, “and stop eating my Twizzlers! I’m not in the mood, and you know why.” She says with a frown, and an exasperated sigh. Pete grins his “I’m innocent” grin, and grabs Myka’s arm, dragging her with him. Myka, just barely, closes her locker door and asks, “Pete? Wanna tell me where we’re going?” Pete just shakes his head in the negative and keeps walking. </p><p>A few minutes later they reach Claudia and Steve’s lockers, (apparently there was a “glitch” in the system because Steve ended up next to Claudia, despite their last names. Pete told Myka when this happened, “I think Glitch is a good new nickname for Claud!”) and Pete pushes Myka at Claudia and tells the former, “She has important information. I think it’ll cheer you up!” Myka almost lands against the locker, but Claudia catches her in time, saying, “Okay, so listen before you say anything,” When Myka is silent, Claudia continues, “I was at the bookstore the other day, and I heard your parents arguing. Your mom said, ‘We already invited her! We can’t just say no now, when she’s already bought the tickets and is ready to go! This is a big opportunity for her!’ and then your Dad said, ‘But Jeannie, I don’t want some young british girl, being a bad influence on Myka and Tracy! I don’t want her here.’ and this is where your mom is awesome, she said, ‘Fine, then Warren, you’re sleeping on the couch until Tracy graduates.’ and she turned around to go and your Dad sighed and said, ‘Fine! But only because the couch hurts my back!’” Myka thinks to herself, this story would have been better if Claudia hadn’t done voices.</p><p>Claudia finishes with wide eyes and an even wider smile, and looks at Myka expectantly. When Myka shrugs and shakes her head, Claudia says, “Oh come on! This is good news! You’re going to be hosting the new british exchange student! Your mom said something about her not being here the first day, but she’ll be at school tomorrow!” Myka laughs and says, “Claud I don’t think that’s right, have you met my parents? My father doesn’t even like it when Tracy has friends over. How would he handle a british exchange student?!” Myka laughs, shakes her head no, and walks to english, ready to read The Time Machine by H.G. Wells.</p><p>———————————————————</p><p>When Myka finally makes it home, she climbs the stairs saying, “Sorry I’m home late. The librarians needed help sorting the children’s section, you know how little kids and books can be.” Myka makes it to the top step and stops dead in her tracks. Jaw on the floor and eyes wide as moons, she looks at the most beautiful girl she’s ever seen. Raven hair cascading down slim shoulders, and framing her sharp features. The girl smiles, and Myka thinks she’s even more beautiful than before. Still slack jawed and bug eyed, Myka clears her throat and says, “Um, hi. I- I’m Myka. And y-you are?” The girl chuckles and says, in a voice like silk, “Hello darling, it’s lovely to meet you. My name is Helena, Helena Wells.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here ya go! Chapter 2 is a little all over the place, sorry, but Bering and Wells is the end game. So hang in there!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hello darling, it’s lovely to meet you. My name is Helena, Helena Wells.” </p><p>Myka is staring, she knows she is, but tearing away her gaze would be like ripping steel with bare hands. Simply impossible. Because the girl she is staring at is... indescribable. Myka knows all of the words, Myka prides herself on knowing all of the words, but she can’t find any words that would come close to doing justice for the girl in front of her. So, Myka stares. She stares at the Dark as night hair, the sharp jaw, the warm eyes, and slick lips. Lips that, Myka is sure, are soft and smooth. And maybe if Myka ‘tripped’ forward, those lips would catch her’s and- the girl, Helena, clears her throat and gives Myka a look somewhere between knowing, and wonder. </p><p>Just then, as Myka stares and Helena..... stares back, Jeannie and Warren enter the room. Jeannie clears her throat and Myka catches the last bit of her sentence, “-so Helena will be staying in Myka’s room until we can clear out Warren’s office. If you’re alright with that, Helena?” Helena smiles and says, “That sounds fine. If Myka is amendable to the idea, that is.” Helena gives Myka a semi-worried look at the last bit. Myka, unable to speak, simply nods. Helena smiles again, and says, “Great. Thank you again Mr. and Mrs. Bering for hosting me. This is an amazing opportunity.” Jeannie smiles and says, “Of course. We’re thrilled to have you! And I hope that you’ll find a second family with us while you’re here.” Helena nods, and silence fills the air. Myka feels a pang in her chest... and the two sides of her brain wage war, one side saying, ‘I’m never enough, but they’ll accept her as part of the family the moment they meet?’ and the other side says, ‘Myka, calm down. You don’t know anything about Helena. For all you know she’s an orphan and hearing those words will help her. And even if she isn’t an orphan, do you really think you’ll be able to hate... her?” The latter side wins the war, and a blush rises from Myka’s neck to her cheeks. After a minute Warren says, “Well, why don’t we get this girl settled? I don’t want dinner to get cold.”</p><p>———————————————————</p><p>Helena had disappeared down the hall minutes ago, but Myka couldn’t move. She thought she might have had a stroke, because how else could an indescribable, british girl have been standing there, in her house? Myka still hadn’t moved when Tracy passed by, stopping in front of Myka she said, “Hey Myka... are you okay? Oh, is this because of Helena? I thought this might happen -“ at that Myka looked from where Helena had been standing to meet Tracy’s eyes, asking, “You thought what would happen exactly?” </p><p>Tracy paused a moment, clearly planning her next words, then she shrugged and said, “Well... this, you, right now.” She shrugged and elaborated, “I knew that once you saw her, you’d be jealous. It’s only natural, for you, I mean, not me. Sure Helena’s okay looking and all, but was she little miss Colorado Springs twice? No. And is she head of the Junior Varsity Cheerleading squad? Also, no!” And with the flick of her hair and an almost evil laugh, Tracy walks away.</p><p>———————————————————</p><p>Helena had been escorted to, presumably, Myka’s bedroom. Myka’s book collection was very impressive, and very similar to her own. Helena sat on the guest bed for a long while, in wait for the girl she met by the stairs. Helena thinks back to minutes ago, Myka had been talking about working in a library after school, and then she froze. And the look on her face was lovely. And then she spoke, and her voice was lovely. And the slight stutter in her voice was lovely. And her hair was lovely, as were her eyes, oh her amazing eyes. Her figure? Lovely. Her nose? Lovely. Her lips? Lovely, and probably soft, and maybe sweet too.... at that thought Helena wondered if there was a thing about Myka that Helena didn’t think was lovely, but nothing came to mind suddenly. Myka hadn’t spoken to Helena since she introduced herself, she just stared at her. And Helena thinks that Myka was totally oblivious to the fact that she was staring at Myka as well. Myka was a vision. Myka, with her wide eyes and opened mouth, and the most wondrously curly mane. Helena was starting to wonder what that hair would feel like in her hands, but stopped herself and cleared her throat. Myka looked slightly startled. But then Mr. and Mrs. Bering were in the room talking about School tomorrow and then the sleeping arrangements, and Helena couldn’t help the smile that overtook her face when she learned she was to be sleeping in Myka’s room. But now here she is, all alone. So Helena stands up and walks to the window attached to the fire escape. Helena opens the window and pokes her torso out into the evening Colorado air. Breathing in a deep breath, Helena climbs through the window and sits on the stairs, looking out upon the little town called Colorado springs. The sights and smells relax her, and allow her mind to wander.</p><p>———————————————————</p><p>When Myka enters her room, she’s surprised to see it empty. But then she notices the shadowy figure out on the fire escape. Myka walks to the opened window and silently climbs through. When Myka is standing on the fire escape, leaning on the railing, she whispers, “Besides the store, this is my favorite part of the building. It’s the perfect place to watch the sunrise or set. It’s quite, even during the day. It’s an escape. A little speck, where a person can just be...” Myka trailed off, not really having a point.</p><p>She didn’t realize two things had happened while she was speaking, one, Helena had stood up and was turned to face her, and two, Myka was gripping the railing so tightly that her knuckles were white and Helena had covered them with her own hands. Myka blushed at the contact, stammering, “I-I guess what I’m trying to say is that, while your here, this speck is open to you too.”</p><p> Helena beamed, saying, “I have a place like this for me, in London. It’s the rooftop of my tutor’s house. His name is Caturanga and I’m sure he’s one of the only people on this Earth who understands me. My Mum and Dad don’t really... get me. But, when I go to Caturanga’s rooftop, I can forget myself, and my problems. It’s wonderful.” Helena lets out a shaky breath, and Myka placed her hand onto Helena’s. </p><p>She smiles and says, “Myka...” Helena sighs. After a pause she says, “I would love to share this space here with you, Myka. Thank you.” Helena squeezes Mykas hand, then climbs through the window and into the room. Myka releases a breath she didn’t know she was holding and touches her cheek where Helena had wiped her tears, and the hand Helena had just squeezed, with a luminescent smile on her face.</p><p>———————————————————</p><p>Dinner passes by in a blur of Helena and Myka talking and laughing, and the next thing Myka knows, she and Helena are in her bathroom brushing their teeth side by side. It’s a wonder they get their teeth brushed successfully, and don’t choke on toothpaste while doing so, because they keep making silly faces in the bathroom mirror. When they are both done they retire to their respective beds. Myka turns the room light off, but is still illuminated by her reading lamp, then gets snuggled into the covers and picks up a book. Myka tries to read, she really does, but she can feel Helena staring at her. She doesn’t know why, but she just knows that if she looks up right now, her eyes would meet warm brown ones. And Myka would give so much to gaze into those eyes again, so, she does. Myka’s eyes flick up briefly, Helena is indeed staring at her, and her eyes drop again. When Myka looks up this time she smiles wide and holds Helena’s gaze. They sit like that, both smiling, and staring into the others eyes, for what, to Myka, feels like too brief a time. They break contact only when Myka’s book hits the ground with a thud. Myka looks down at her book, and when she looks back up, Helena is looking away... blushing? No. Maybe. </p><p>Staring into Helena’s eyes must have given her a bravado, because Myka says, “You have nice eyes.” But then all of the bravado was gone and Myka was mortified, she tried to back-peddle saying,  “No, what I-“ but she was cut off by a british accent and by those eyes, their beholder saying, “Your eyes are quite nice as well.” At that Myka blushed fiercely, and to hide said blush, Myka reaches down to grab her book. When she sits back up, she looks over at Helena and asks, “Do you want to, I don’t know, go out onto the balcony with me?” Helena grins widely, and says, “I’d like that.”</p><p>They sit together in the fresh air for some time before Helena asks, “Myka darling? What were you reading?” Myka shrugs and says, “The Sleeper Awakes, by H.G. Wells”</p><p>Helena smiles, nods, and says, “I have a copy in my suitcase. H.G. is my favorite author. I always carry something of hers around.” Myka nods and then her eyes go wide. Myka asks, incredulously, “She?” Helena laughs and says, “I should watch my words, I didn’t mean to slip. I guess I should tell you now? I’m related to H.G. Wells, and it stands for, Helena, not Herbert. I was named after her.” </p><p>Myka laughs and says, “I knew it! There was no way that those ideas came from a man in the 1800s. I knew that H.G. had to have been a woman, but wow. H.G. Wells, is a woman.” Helena stares at Myka and says, “You’re the first person I’ve ever told. And you already knew?” Myka nods and says, “I can pretend like I don’t and you can tell me again though?” </p><p>After a lot of talking and laughing, Helena yawns, which makes Myka look at her watch. 11:54 pm. Myka sighs and says, “We should probably get to bed, we have school tomorrow. Speaking of which... would you like to eat lunch with my friends and I? I’ll introduce you. But of course if you make other friends feel free to sit with them.” Myka can hear a hint of sadness at her own words, and just hopes Helena doesn’t hear it too. If she did hear it she doesn’t let Myka know when she says, “Of course. I would love to sit with you during lunch period. I was actually quite nervous. I hope your friends won’t mind my intrusion.” Myka chuckles and says, “Absolutely not. My friends are some of the sweetest people you will ever meet. They’re a little quirky... but we all fit together like a puzzle. I think you, Helena Wells, will fit in perfectly!” </p><p>Helena looks into the jade pools that are Myka’s eyes and whispers, “Thank you.” Helena crawls through the window and walks back to her bed, leaving Myka alone on the balcony. Myka closes her eyes and whispers, “Always” into the night.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am so so so so sorry! I had this written a little over a week after the second chapter, but I kept changing things, then forgetting, and then changing more things.  This chapter is longer than the other two, but I’m still not happy with my writing... so PLEASE! I need feedback! Tell me what you like, what you would change, tips on how to change my style, and even things you would like to see our young (not yet) couple do/go through/ plot twist.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Always”</p><p>Myka wakes up with that word playing in her head, along with the events of last night, and cringes to herself at how dorky she would have seemed if Helena had heard her. Taking a deep breath, Myka looks at the clock, which reads 5:38am. Of course, now she has to silently get ready so she doesn’t wake Helena, because Myka told her to set an alarm for 6:30. </p><p>As Myka starts to climb out of bed, the springs in her bed creak loudly, and Myka stills. When she thinks the coast is clear, Myka hops out of bed and walks to her dresser. After pulling out a pair of jeans, a clean bra, clean underwear, and a t-shirt, she heads back to her bed. Myka takes off her flannel pajama pants and her underwear, replacing them with clean underwear and the fresh jeans. Then she takes off her baggy tee and her bra, as she’s tossing the latter onto her bed, she feels eyes on her. Myka shakes her head to get the silly thoughts out of her mind, and grabs her clean bra, as she’s trying to clip it she hears an almost inaudible gasp. Myka gulps and turns around slowly to Helena’s bed, where she finds a cheshire grin on Helena’s face, immediately replaced by a sheepish smirk. Myka can feel her mouth go slack.</p><p>———————————————————</p><p>Helena wakes up to a strange noise, a creaky bed, she thinks. The Brit blinks tired eyes, but still hasn’t moved when Myka climbs out of her bed and walks to the other side of the room. Helena assumes that she is gathering all of her necessary clothing for the day, and debates whether or not she should announce her coherency, and settles on not, for fear of scaring Myka. She watches as Myka crosses the room again and starts removing her sleep bottoms, and has just enough time to look away before Myka, inadvertently, flashes anything indecent. Helena bites her lower lip and tries to fight the urge to turn around and watch Myka, but she fails. As she turns her head to look at Myka, she sees Myka removing her shirt, and watches long and toned arms toss the cloth. She is then mesmerized by the muscles in Myka’s back as they move to attach the clips from a bra to one another, and Helena gasps as she watches slender fingers attaching bra clips. Myka moves then, to face her. And ever so slowly, excentuated by a bra, perfectly round breasts came into view. And Helena could feel herself grinning. Her eyes meet Myka’s and the grin fades, as she sees the look of terror on the other girls face, but is replaced with a small smirk.  </p><p>Helena says, in a sultry voice, to keep her giddiness from showing, “Something the matter, Darling?” And Myka gapes further, if that were possible. </p><p>Helena could almost see the cogs turning in Myka’s wonderful mind as she tries to think of the appropriate words for this terrifying situation. Finally, Myka stutters, “Something? The matter? Wha-? You? But.... But you were asleep. And I- I was trying... to.... to get.... dressed?” And Helena nearly giggles at how adorable Myka sounds. </p><p>When she recovers, she tries to ease Myka’s horror by saying, “Darling, I am so dreadfully sorry. I never meant to... witness your undressing. I woke up to a quite strange creaking sound, and when I opened my eyes to look at what stole me from my slumber, I saw you rising from your bed. Afraid I would startle you if I spoke, I quietly.... observed your movements until you went to change your bottoms. I looked away, and.... when I thought you were done I turned back around as you were discarding your brassiere. I’m sorry Myka, I did try to look away... but I was overcome by how... intricately your muscles moved that I found myself staring. Again, I do apologize.”</p><p>Myka thought about it, and her explanation did make some sense, but Myka was confused as to why Helena seemed to be watching her so intently. And from what she gathered from Helena, she was watching her the entire time.... how odd. </p><p>“Okay, yes, that’s... that’s fine. But.... next time I’ll just get dressed in the bathroom.”<br/>
Myka said with an enormous blush, and rushed to grab her clothes and practically ran to the bathroom. </p><p>Helena sits back in her bed and plays the whole ordeal again in her mind. “How lovely.” Helena thinks aloud. After minutes of thoughts flying about in her head, Helena whispers, with a small content smile on her face, “So very, lovely.” </p><p>Helena chuckles and shakes her head, crawls out of bed, and starts to get dressed.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>Myka enters the bathroom, shuts the door, and smiles. No one pays attention to Myka, so when she caught Helena staring... it felt good. It felt like, for once, someone looked at Myka, and liked what they saw. Myka practically giggles at the thought of Helena staring at her. </p><p>Within a minute Myka has put on her shirt, brushed her hair, and brushed her teeth. Myka sets down the brush and walks down the hallway to the kitchen with a huge grin in place. </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>“Myka? You ride in this... bus everyday?!” Helena questioned.</p><p>“Well, yeah. I’ll have to work at the bookstore for another 4 years to afford a car, even though I’ve been saving since I started working. If I want to get a car sometime soon, I’d have to get another job, maybe two, and I just don’t have the time.” Myka said, with a shrug. </p><p>“We will have to remedy your transport system. My car is being shipped over, I’d be more than happy to drive you to school.” Helena said, a rosy tint to her cheeks. </p><p>‘If she weren’t so charming, she might look almost shy...’ Myka thought, but didn’t say. Instead she says, with a smile, “Oh Helena. I don’t want to be a bother.”</p><p>Myka could hear Helena scoff, but she didn’t see it because, when she turned her head, Helena was smiling and saying, “Pish posh! I doubt you could ever be a bother.” And to hide the truth in her statement, she added, “I don’t know which radio channels are good! However will I find music I like? And what about conversation? Driving alone is such a bore. Should you accompany me however, the ride would be much more enjoyable... please Myka?”</p><p>If Myka hadn’t been sitting, her knees would have given out at how utterly adorable Helena sounded. Myka smiles at Helena’s words. Shaking her head, Myka widens her grin, and says, with a wink at the end, “Okay. But only because you made such a compelling argument.” </p><p>———————————————————</p><p>As the bus stopped and the students started filing out, Myka said to Helena, “Welcome to Lincoln High School.” </p><p>As the duo walked through the front doors, a boy started to call out to Myka, “Mykes! Mykes, wait up!” Myka slowed down and said to a confused Helena, “Helena, I’m sorry in advance...” This made Helena furrow her brow, as she thought to herself, ‘Why would Myka be sorry?’ </p><p>Suddenly, a muscular boy started hugging Myka, asking, “Mykes! Where is she? Is she hot? What does her accent sound like? Is she hot?! Myka? C’mon Mykes! I need to know all about her so I can make a good first impression!” </p><p>Myka pried his arms of of her and said slowly, “Pete, I don’t think you’re making a very good first impression so far.” She turned Pete around to face Helena and said, “Pete, this is Helena Wells. Helena, Peter Lattimer.”</p><p>Helena had watched this whole interaction and was not pleased. Helena said, with a stern voice, crossed arms, and pursed lips, “Peter, why would you ask if I’m ‘hot’? Why not ask about my intelligence? If you ask me, intelligence, kindness, and personality are far more attractive than physical features.” </p><p>Peter, wide eyed and frightened looking, turned towards Myka, who was also wide eyed, but had a massive smile and was biting her lip. </p><p>“Well, Pete, I’m going to go introduce Helena to Claud and Steve.... hopefully they act better than you.” Myka said, trying to stifle a laugh.</p><p>Myka grabbed Helena’s elbow gently and started guiding her when Helena spoke, “I hope I didn’t offend you by speaking my mind. I just think it’s awful he would sexualize women like that. I’m not a piece of meat. It shouldn’t matter whether I’m hot or not! Just because I am hot, doesn’t mean I want that to be what people see when they look at me, I want them to see everything else too!” </p><p>Myka hadn’t stopped smiling and simply said, “I know. I feel the same way. Yes, Pete can be a neanderthal sometimes, but he’s sweet when you get to know him. Sometimes he just doesn’t think with his head, he thinks with.... little Pete, as he calls it.” Helena feels Myka shudder, and laughs. </p><p>When Myka stops walking they are in front of a wall of lockers, Helena looks around confused, and Myka says, “Just wait. You’ll know them when you see them.”</p><p>And sure enough, when a young girl, no older than 15, with wild red hair, a purple tee with a black long sleeve under it, black leather pants, and black boots, came walking up to Myka, Helena deduced this must be Claudia. And the boy, about 16 years old, blonde buzzed hair, knowing eyes, a blue long sleeve, jeans, and black tennis shoes, who walked beside the wild haired girl, must have been Steve.</p><p>“Yo, Mykes, Jinksy and I were wondering if you wanted to join us at my house tonight. Pete’s bringing pizza, and I have ice cream. I know you have the exchange student though, so if you can’t come we get it. Where is she by the way? I can’t wait to meet her! How do you think she feels about AI?” As soon as Claudia started talking about AI, she was like a bullet. Helena was whiplashed when Claudia changed subjects at the drop of a hat, talking about wiring, then mechanics, then waterproofing, and then she moved on to materials, and workspaces, but what she was most excited about was programming. Helena caught a few words between a subject change, “-nd I already have a bunch of programs ready. It’s so tricked out! I have so many cool features added int-“ </p><p>Myka kept up, saying, “I’m fine with coming over if Helena doesn’t mind. And, of course, if my parents agree. Tell Pete to get a Veggie pizza too, I hate it when all he gets are those meat covered pizzas. I don’t think he’s eaten a vegetable since the third grade.” Myka scrunched her face, and a few moments later said, to her two friends, “Oh sorry, Claud, Steve, this is Helena Wells. She’s the exchange student. And you’d have to ask her how she feels about AI, I’m sure she’s smart enough to understand it in any case.” Myka turned to her and said, “Helena, Claudia Donovan, and Steven Jinks, respectively.”</p><p>Helena blinked once, and then, a brillliant smile overtook her face. She reached out her right hand to the boy and, meeting skeptical eyes, she said, “Delighted to meet you, Steven.” And skeptical eyes turned into pleased. Then, shaking her hand, Steve said, “Likewise.” </p><p>She then turned to Claudia and said, “Claudia, it’s a pleasure. And to answer your question, I think Artificial Intelligence is absolutely brilliant. I’ve built machines back home, but I can never get the programming quite right.. I think if I tweak  the Algorithm, and adjust the ASCII, then it should work quite brilliantly, if I do say so myself. But I’ve only dabbled in AI, I usually work on more complex projects, why do you ask?”</p><p>Claudia looks like a deer in headlights, and then, every so slowly, a huge grin appeared on her face. She turned to Myka and asked, “Myka ? Can we keep her?” Which was answered with a distracted, “I’d certainly like to.” And then, as if hearing her words, Myka blushed and said, “I mean, yeah, um if she doesn’t think we’re all a bunch of nut jobs, then sure. I’d love to pick her brain. And I could use another person to help keep order to our group, Steve and I can only do so much.” Myka looked away then, and scanned the hallways, she looked back at her watch and then said to Helena, a bit too cheery, “We should head to the office, we need to pick up your schedule and then I can show you to your class.” </p><p>Myka’s started to walk away, and looked back to her friends with a nervous glance. Helena followed suit and gave them a questioning look, Claudia looked slightly guilty, and Steve looked as if he knew exactly what was wrong with Myka. Furrowing her brow, Helena ran to catch up with Myka.</p><p>———————————————————</p><p>‘What the hell was that? Why did Claudia ask if we could keep her? And why did I say yes? None of them ever liked Sam... but now they all love Helena? What does that mean? Helena and Sam are polar opposites, so I don’t think she would ever- ... Why am I even comparing Helena to Sam? Why is that where my head goes? What is happening?’ Myka mentally berated herself, until she felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to stop abruptly and turn on her heel.</p><p>“Myka, darling, what’s wrong? Are you feeling well? I could ask Claudia to show me around and you could go to the, what is it in America? The nurses station?” Helena asked, looking concerned. </p><p>Myka gulped, Helena’s hand was still on her shoulder. Myka’s mind is empty so, she says the first random thought that ventured into her mind desert, “Do you want to go to Claudia’s with me tonight? You dont have to if you’re busy, or would rather do something else. I just think that you would really fit in. And who knows? Maybe-“ Myka stopped talking abruptly because Helena was chuckling, and her hand was squeezing Myka’s shoulder, which caused Myka’s mind desert to lose it’s only temporary inhabitant. </p><p>Helena quit laughing a minute later, and said, “Sorry Myka, but I thought you would assume that, if you were going, I’d be going too. Which I would like to by the way.” Helena became wide eyed, and the smile disappeared from her face, “Unless, of course, you don’t want me to come?”</p><p>Myka stuttered, “What? Why wouldn’t I want you to come? Of course you can come!” Myka cast her eyes downward, shoved her left hand into her jeans and palmed her neck with her right hand. She takes a deep breath and continues more slowly, “I just worried that you wouldn’t like my friends, and you’d be appalled at the idea of spending the evening with us.”</p><p>Helena smiled to think that Myka cared what she thought about her and her friends. “Myka, I find you and your friends absolutely charming! I especially like Claudia, she’s like the.... the... oh bollocks. It’s the rabbit with the drum?” Helena said, frowning slightly towards the end.</p><p>Myka chuckled and said, “The Energizer Bunny. You’re right. She is exactly like that.”</p><p>Helena smiled and laughed, “Yes, that bunny. Anyways, as I was saying, I like your friends, Myka. And I really hope that they will want to my friend as well. And, before you worry about it, yes, I would still like to have lunch with you lot.”</p><p>At those simple words, Myka took a deep breath. Then, she smiled and took Helena by the elbow and said, “Well, I don’t want you to get detention, and miss lunch, because you don’t know where your classes are. Come on, we’ll go get your schedule from the office, then I’ll show you around.”</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>When the secretary in the office hands Myka Helena’s schedule, Myka frowns and says, “Sandy? I asked for Helena’s schedule, I think you handed me mine. Except my service hours have become ‘Shop 3’ and ‘Technology 3’?”</p><p>Sandy smiled, which caused her small wrinkles to become more prominent, and shook her head, which caused her graying hair to shake. “No Myka, that is Helena G. Wells’ schedule. But you’re right, your schedules are almost the exact same.” Sandy watched as Myka blushed and handed Helena her schedule. </p><p>“Well, this will make my showing you your classes easier. And I think you have Shop with Pete and Steve, and Technology with Claudia.” Myka said with her eyes downcast. </p><p>Helena looked at her schedule, then at the Secretary, Sandy, and then at Myka. “Brilliant! I was so worried, you know... I don’t make friends easily.” Helena admitted, her eyes filled with sadness, but then she perked up, bumped shoulders with Myka and said, “But who knows? It would seem that the two of us are destined to be friends. And sharing classes with your other mates is absolutely wonderful.” Helena smiled broadly, and broader still when Myka looked up. </p><p>As soon as the two made eye contact, the world melted away, for Helena at least. “Shall we?” The young british gentlewoman said, nodding towards the door, and holding out her elbow.</p><p>Helena watched Myka laugh as she took her elbow and said, “We shall.” Myka looked back to Sandy and said, “Thanks Sandy, I’ll see you later.” Then the two set off. </p><p>Sandy watched, again, as the two teenagers left the office for their first class. Then after a minute of thought, got up, and knocked on the Principles door saying, “Mrs. Frederick? I would like to talk about the schedule of Helena Wells.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Again, sorry! But thanks to those of you who are still sticking around. It means the world to this, amateur writer. I promise the other chapters will come quicker. My style will just have to improve along the way.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I’m sorry this Chapter was so short! I promise they will get longer!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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